tohavethesesocialsacramentsstrippedofeverythingbutthemeregreedysatisfactionofthenaturalcravings；goessoagainstthegrainwithme，thatIseriouslybelievetherecollectionofthesefuneralfeastswillbeawakingnightmaretomeallmylife。
Therewassomereliefinthisboat，too，whichtherehadnotbeenintheother，forthecaptainablunt，good-naturedfellowhadhishandsomewifewithhim，whowasdisposedtobelivelyandagreeable，aswereafewotherlady-passengerswhohadtheirseatsaboutusatthesameendofthetable。Butnothingcouldhavemadeheadagainstthedepressinginfluenceofthegeneralbody。Therewasamagnetismofdulnessinthemwhichwouldhavebeatendownthemostfacetiouscompanionthattheeartheverknew。Ajestwouldhavebeenacrime，andasmilewouldhavefadedintoagrinninghorror。Suchdeadly，leadenpeople；suchsystematicplodding，weary，insupportableheaviness；suchamassofanimatedindigestioninrespectofallthatwasgenial，jovial，frank，social，orhearty；never，sure，wasbroughttogetherelsewheresincetheworldbegan。
Norwasthescenery，asweapproachedthejunctionoftheOhioandMississippirivers，atallinspiritinginitsinfluence。Thetreeswerestuntedintheirgrowth；thebankswerelowandflat；thesettlementsandlogcabinsfewerinnumber:theirinhabitantsmorewanandwretchedthananywehadencounteredyet。Nosongsofbirdswereintheair，nopleasantscents，nomovinglightsandshadowsfromswiftpassingclouds。Hourafterhour，thechangelessglareofthehot，unwinkingsky，shoneuponthesamemonotonousobjects。Hourafterhour，theriverrolledalong，aswearilyandslowlyasthetimeitself。
Atlength，uponthemorningofthethirdday，wearrivedataspotsomuchmoredesolatethananywehadyetbeheld，thattheforlornestplaceswehadpassed，were，incomparisonwithit，fullofinterest。Atthejunctionofthetworivers，ongroundsoflatandlowandmarshy，thatatcertainseasonsoftheyearitisinundatedtothehouse-tops，liesabreeding-placeoffever，ague，anddeath；vauntedinEnglandasamineofGoldenHope，andspeculatedin，onthefaithofmonstrousrepresentations，tomanypeople\'sruin。Adismalswamp，onwhichthehalf-builthousesrotaway:clearedhereandthereforthespaceofafewyards；andteeming，then，withrankunwholesomevegetation，inwhosebalefulshadethewretchedwandererswhoaretemptedhither，droop，anddie，andlaytheirbones；thehatefulMississippicirclingandeddyingbeforeit，andturningoffuponitssoutherncourseaslimymonsterhideoustobehold；ahotbedofdisease，anuglysepulchre，agraveuncheeredbyanygleamofpromise:aplacewithoutonesinglequality，inearthorairorwater，tocommendit:suchisthisdismalCairo。
ButwhatwordsshalldescribetheMississippi，greatfatherofrivers，whopraisebetoHeavenhasnoyoungchildrenlikehim!